Holla Bend highlights hunting landsAs each and every year passes many hunters across the nation are subjected to having less hunting opportunities and places to hunt but in the great state of Arkansas that simply is not the case. None of us particularly like taxes, but when Arkansans passes a slight tax increase that benefited the AGFC a few years back, many of those funds were designated to help give hunters greater access to hunting areas all across the state. Also, the AGFC ...

Dove season opensLITTLE ROCK — Dove season opened Saturday statewide, and hunters need to make sure they’re registered for the Harvest Information Program, usually called HIP. This is a mandatory federal program in effect in all states except Hawaii. It’s free, but hunters should remember they have to register for HIP each year in each state they hunt. It’s required for dove, duck, goose and all migratory bird hunting. Hunters under the age of 16 are not requi...

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Arkansas Game and Fish CommissionThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Arkansas Tech volleyball splits opening dayWICHITA FALLS, Texas — Emily Todd turned in a 23-kill day, picking up a 10-kill, 12-dig effort in the finale, while Madison Nagel had a 36-dig day as the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns volleyball team (1-1) split on the opening day of the 2014 season, sweeping past Molloy College 3-0 in the season opener and falling 3-0 to No. 10 Washburn in the day’s finale. In the opener, Tech raced to a 25-14 win in the opening set, before winning 25-17 and 25-1...

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ATU Sports InformationThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

RJHS ties MorriltonMORRILTON — The Russellville Junior High Whirlwinds lost control of a 28-8 lead in the third quarter and was forced to settle for a 28-28 tie on the very last play of Thursday night’s game against the Morrilton Devil Pups at Devil Dog Stadium. Morrilton (0-0-1) came back by recovering three onside kicks which all eventually led to touchdowns. “It was real disappointing,” Whirlwinds head coach Dean Norsworthy said. “I should have made some chan...

Game and Fish notebook (Sept. 5, 2014)LITTLE ROCK — Dove season opened Saturday statewide, and hunters need to make sure they're registered for the Harvest Information Program, usually called HIP. This is a mandatory federal program in effect in all states except Hawaii. It's free, but hunters should remember they have to register for HIP each year in each state they hunt. It's required for dove, duck, goose and all migratory bird hunting. Hunters under the age of 16 are not requi...

Apaches tame LionsPottsville 36, Gravette 10 GRAVETTE — The biggest question facing the Pottsville Apaches as they entered the 2014 season was how the offense would respond to replacing four-year starter Micheal Perry at quarterback. The answer, after a dominating 36-10 victory of the Gravette Lions, is just fine, thank you. With junior Jake Dugger taking over the reins for the Apaches, Pottsville's offense garnered over 300 total yards offense and averaging ov...

HS Football round-up: Week 1CLARKSVILLE — Panthers head coach Eli Cranor spent the majority of the offseason convincing his kids to believe in themselves, that they could do more. That’s why Friday night's 42-14 loss to the Lamar Warriors (1-0) was particularly worrisome for the first-year head coach. “You can’t help but worry,” Cranor admitted. “That’s football. That’s life. You’re going to have games where you don’t win. You’re going to have games where you get beat ba...

Cyclones run away from Dogs 42-21Many people, with the exception of football coaches and others, focus on offense and defense and forget the one aspect of the game that can mean a win or loss — special teams. Russellville’s Tony Jones caught two punts and returned them for a pair of touchdowns and totaled 249 all-purpose yards as the Cyclones opened the 2014 season with a 42-21 win over the defending 5A state champion Morrilton Devil Dogs on Friday. “We know when we play Morr...

Pirates pound Atkins to capture Rivals CupATKINS — The Dover Pirates used a powerful rushing attack Friday to crush the Atkins Red Devils 51-20 in the 2014 edition of the Rivals Cup at Sorrels Stadium at Lemley Field. The Red Devils had trouble just getting onto the field as the inflatable helmet the team runs through prior to each game became detached and trapped a number of Red Devils. That wasn’t the only surprise Atkins faced. The Pirates opened the game with an onside kick and re...

Cyclones run away from Dogs 42-21Many people, with the exception of football coaches and others, focus on offense and defense and forget the one aspect of the game that can mean a win or loss — special teams. Russellville’s Tony Jones caught two punts and returned them for a pair of touchdowns and totaled 249 all-purpose yards as the Cyclones opened the 2014 season with a 42-21 win over the defending 5A state champion Morrilton Devil Dogs on Friday. “We know when we play Morr...

Wildcats brutalize BobcatsHECTOR — Every now and then, it looked like the Hector Wildcats might struggle against the Marshall Bobcats — but it never lasted long. Marshall took the opening kickoff and marched to the Hector 23-yard line, but the Wildcats came up with a stop, took control and and never let go. When it was over, the Wildcats won 52-18. To their credit, Marshall never quit. “I have to hand it to them,” Hector head coach Mark Taylor said. “They just didn’t g...

Golden Suns cross country opens this weekendTom Aspel wants his team to break out of a certain mindset. That’s why his Arkansas Tech cross country team won’t be competing in Arkansas all that much this season. Four meets on the road—three in Missouri and one in Florida—will be enough to make his runners forget about who should be winning and go for the front of the pack. “Going to Missouri should help them,” Aspel said. “That pecking order doesn’t matter. If the top person they’re follo...

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ATU Sports InformationThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Wonder Boys run away from Rangers 33-14The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys started their 100th season of college football with a 33-14 win over the visiting Northwestern Oklahoam State Rangers in the season and Great American Conference opener for both teams Thursday night at Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field. The Rangers (0-1, 0-1 GAC) got on the scoreboard first on their second offensive possession. After starting at the ATU 29 courtesy of a bad Wonder Boys (1-0, 1-0) punt, Northwestern q...

Danville slips past Junior Sand LizardsDARDANELLE — The Danville Junior Little Johns made the Dardanelle Junior Sand Lizards pay for each and every mistake they made Thursday at Keenan Field. Danville took advantage of an interception and two fumbles en route to a 16-8 victory. Dardanelle controlled the clock in the first half – but not the scoreboard. The Junior Sand Lizards ate up half the first quarter and all but 4:40 of the second on two fruitless drives that totaled over 15 p...

Wonder Boys kick off 100th season tonightAfter more than three decades in the game as either a player or coach, the excitement and anticipation of the first game of the football season still gets to Arkansas Tech University head coach Raymond Monica. “Every game you get the butterflies,” said Monica, who is beginning his second season as Wonder Boys head coach. “You prepare and get yourself ready … if you’re not a little nervous, you don’t need to be in the business. Every time you p...

Lady Whirlwinds net 2 victories at homeRussellville Junior High School’s Lady Whirlwinds volleyball teams defeated North Little Rock Lakewood and Mount St. Mary’s on Tuesday inside RJHS Gym. The eighth-grade Lady Whirlwinds won 25-16, 25-13. Kate Lane had four points plus two aces and five kills. Meg Atchison had one kill. Kasey Heath had four points and four aces, as well as one kill. Sofia Moren had six points and two aces. Ava Jane McNeill had three points, all aces. Abbey Allen...

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Courier sports staffThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Dover golfers defeat Atkins, PottsvilleDover High School’s boys and girls golf teams defeated Pottsville and Atkins in matches Tuesday at Russellville Country Club. The Pirates shot a 132 (Greg Wooten-39; Zack Schalk-45; Helton Lawson-48; Ethan Koster-61; Kenlee Wallis-65) and Pottsville was second with a 152. Wooten was first, followed by Cole Cody of Atkins in second (41), Schalk in third, Lawson in fourth, and Blaine Boyd and Tal Swicegood of Pottsville tied for fifth (49). The ...

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Courier sports staffThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Golden Suns open season Friday in tournamentMuch of the talk about the Golden Suns volleyball program this season has been about its incredible run through the Great American Conference tournament and berth in the NCAA tournament last year. However, with a talented cast of newcomers, the Golden Suns know they cannot afford to look back, and are focusing their efforts on repeating their championship run in 2014. Each year, every team starts at square one. With a team that is smaller in n...

Green and Gold ATU prideWith the new academic year now underway at Arkansas Tech University, a group of community supporters is encouraging area residents to display their green and gold pride. The ATU Connection Committee of the Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce has developed a list of suggestions for ways that local businesses and individuals can show their support for Arkansas Tech: • Fly a Tech flag • Welcome students on signs/marquees • Employers and employe...